The Heroes' Death
by OnceUponASunsetDream
Summary: What if Kronos died with a little more of a bang? Who else would have been caught in the crossfire? Would Luke have been the only demigod to die?


The gods burst through the golden doors to their throne room, dreading what they would find.

The Titan king Kronos returned to his full power?

Dead children lying broken on the ground at his feet?

No. what they found was quite different. The room was nearly silent. Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena lay unconscious at the foot of her mother's throne. Grover Underwood, the satyr lay slightly before her, a large red lump swelling on his forehead. He had been knocked out while trying to shield his friend.

In the centre of the room smoke heaved and swirled. None of the gods could see what was in the centre of the billowing white mass. Hestia appeared in her fire, fiery tears slipping down her cheeks as she stepped daintily towards the smoke. Poseidon could feel his heart pounding. Percy, Percy, Percy.

Where was his son? He almost didn't want to find out what was in that smoke.

Hermes stepped up beside his uncle, his eyes desperately seeking any reassurance of his own son. A weak cough and a moan was heard, breaking the spell. Poseidon and Hermes, followed slowly by their family, approached the mist. It cleared as it was disturbed by the gods.

"No. NO!" Hermes yelled as he glimpsed the prone form of his son. His Luke. The boy was smoking, his body letting off great waves of sickening smoke. Hermes knelt and fluttered his hands, unsure what to do. He settled for laying soft hand on the boy's face, cradling it gently. A tear fell onto the scarred face and sizzled on the face.

Hermes hadn't even realised he was crying.

Poseidon didn't cry out, he didn't yell in denial, he didn't stare in despair. He just sank to the floor next to his son and cradled the body to his chest. He allowed the tears to fall onto the head of bloodstained black curls as he rocked the steaming body in his arms.

Poseidon gasped as he felt Percy whimper. He quickly lay the boy down and wiped the bloody curls off the pale face "Percy? Percy can you open your eyes?"

The eyes fluttered but they did open. Poseidon smiled, a smile of heartbreak. He knew that while Percy may be alive now, he was dying.

Hermes gasped beside him and he knew that Luke was hanging on too. The two boys were lying side by side, eyes fluttering, chests heaving and skin steaming.

Percy looked up at his father with his sea coloured eyes. He gave a small humourless smile and spoke in a painful raspy voice. "I'm dying aren't I dad?" The words sounded like they were being pulled out of his throat by a hot poker. Poseidon flinched slightly at the sound of his voice and tried to hush his child but Percy glared at him and continued talking. "When Kronos got blown up. It hit my Achilles spot. I'm dying." he said it so matter of factly that it brought more tears to Poseidon's eyes.

But he nodded reluctantly and caressed the black curls. "Yes. You're dying Perseus." his voice broke and more tears fell onto his son's face. "You'll go to Elysium. You'll have a good afterlife."

Percy glared at his father again, something he would never have done if he weren't dying. "I'd damn well better."

Poseidon smiled despite himself. He shouldn't find anything humorous about the situation. His son was dying for Olympus sake! But he couldn't help it. Percy had always had that effect on him. His youngest child had always been able to make him smile. "You will. You're a hero."

Percy smiled sadly again. "I love you." he whispered. "I know you won't be able to see me in the underworld. Thought I should tell you."

Poseidon bit back a sob but couldn't stop the tears. "I love you too Perseus." he whispered. "You are a wonderful son. I'm so proud of you."

There was a commotion by the huge doors and a voice that Poseidon could recognise echoed in the large hall. "I don't care what the hell you think! I don't care that I'm mortal! Let me see my son or I'll stab you all with one of his javelins!"

Percy rolled his eyes and laughed weakly. "Mum." he whispered. Poseidon nodded, not looking over at his former lover, his eyes only for the dying boy in his arms.

The yells faltered and hurried steps approached the two grieving fathers and their dying sons. She fell to he knees beside Poseidon and stared at her son, lying in his father's arms. "Oh my baby." she whispered grabbing his dirty hand and holding it to her chest. Her kind, weepy eyes fixed to her only child.

Percy looked up at Poseidon and his face pinched with pain, his body curling into a tight ball of agony. He gasped, tears pooling in his ocean depths while his parents hovered, unsure of what to do. He fell still, panting, and looked back up at his parents. "Luke?" he rasped. "What…?" he coughed violently again. Sally didn't seem to understand but Poseidon did. He gathered his favourite demigod child in his arms and angled him so he could see Luke, protected by his own father's arms.

Percy smiled at his old friend and newer enemy weakly, his eyes shuttering once more. Luke reached out a shaky arm and Percy took it. Their skin fizzled when it met, but neither let go. Luke smiled wryly. "See you there?" he asked in a whisper.

Percy nearly smirked. "Naturally. You can teach me how to prank."

Luke laughed, but it was more like a cough. "Probably a lost cause eh?"

Percy let his arm drop back with a small smile, leaning back into his father with a whimper. Luke let his own body relax and he smiled up at his father who smiled tearily back as Luke relaxed and let go. Hermes hunched over the body of his son and wept silently.

Sally took Percy's hand once more and kissed his forehead and each of his fluttering lids, hiding his bright sea eyes. "I love you." she whispered through her sobs.

Percy smiled softly but apparently had no more strength to talk. Poseidon carded a soft hand soothingly through the ebony curls and hummed gently, the tears falling as Percy's eyes opened less and less until they finally remained closed. Sally looked away, curling into a tight ball, her face buried in her knees, sobs wracking her slim frame. Poseidon made no move to comfort her, instead staring unblinkingly at his son. He would not miss this moment. It was not fair for the boy to die, however prematurely, without a parent to see.

Hades stepped slowly forward from the semicircle of gods, respectfully watching, none making a sound. He placed a soft hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "He is gone brother. He will achieve Elysium. I will make sure of it." he whispered. Poseidon nodded but didn't speak. He didn't think he could. He kissed Percy's head gently and murmured an ancient blessing.

"Goodbye Perseus Jackson. Goodbye Luke Castellan. You were the greatest heroes to grace the halls of Olympus." Zeus murmured.

Poseidon finally let the supressed sobs escape silently. He heard the doors slam open and a small scream. He glanced up and saw Artemis darting over to her incredibly pale lieutenant and gather the girl in her arms as her legs gave out, tears coursing down her cheeks as she spied her broken friends.

Another commotion as Athena detached herself from the Olympians and approached her stirring daughter who was being helped to her feet by the satyr. She looked around in confusion before her eyes before they rested on the hysterical Sally being comforted by Hestia who still had fiery tears on her cheeks, to the two devastated fathers cradling the broken bodies of their sons. She screamed and began moving forward, denials on her lips. Poseidon looked away from the heartbroken grey eyes and Athena intercepted her daughter and brought her, sobbing, into her arms.

Deep below the earth in a sparkling, happy, bright city two boys gazed around them in awe, unable to believe that they had been accepted into this...incredible place. Bright ocean eyes, the shadows taken from them, laughed in exhilaration and grabbed the other boy in a tight hug, his dark curls bouncing around his handsome tanned face. The other boy buried his face in the younger boy's curls and sobbed in relief. It was all over. There was no more need to worry.

Together the two boys entered the city for heroes and began their happy afterlife.


End file.
